The Other Side of Nostalgia

It’s very common to perceive nostalgic people as a bunch of out dated people. In this face-what-comes- and-keep-moving era of modern living, it’s not a surprise that nostalgic people are viewed as people living in the past. The preachers of the present often keep quoting ‘Don’t live in your past! It’s a hindrance to live in the present. People shrouded with the thoughts of their past are often ridiculed. Well, all the arguments listed above seem valid, though. But, everything has the other side.

I’m an 80’s kid. There was a life, naturally paced. Never there was hurry. No chasing of goals imposed from the ‘outside’. Life was pleasant and the fragrance of it inhaled in every leisurely breath. Life was understood as a gift to live and never was it like something to be achieved. Then there was an array of ‘modern’ intervention; Then followed the ‘ultra modern’. Life in a short span of years became a difficult problem to crack. The whole society began to scat on a mad rush for who-knows-what. I’m living in the former and well aware of the latter.

As an individual it has almost become impossible to stop the ever speeding life trains of human beings. I mean, where is the brake? If not a speed breaker, at least… Far from the maddening crowd a sizeable minority sit back and watching fellow commuters rushing. Personally, it’s fun to watch, yet, saddening at the same time.

Whenever possible I get back to my memory library to browse through the shelves, take a favourite book from my past and flip my favourite pages from it. May be it’s a night sky viewing, from my terrace, amid absolute darkness; or, gazing a brook, without even thinking anything. I don’t know what, but, something like that. How pleasing are such moments! How soothing! I get the urge of sinking myself in the past when the present corners me and rushes me up for a worthless task or goal.

My kind of nostalgia is an escape route to sickening fast paced world around me. So is it for every other person who feels nostalgic. Nostalgia is often a result of incompatibility of an individual with his/her present, and is always a pleasant escape route, though momentary. Despite the fact that the very life we live being our own, every now and then, we are subjected to live it in ways we may not like. This creates a friction in the consciousness of oneself, keep pricking the person, which might be very irritating to that individual.

Nostalgia is the human yearning for their energetic past, their shiny days with all its glory, a natural urge to extend the gratification experienced in the past reliving the moments virtually, at least.

Besides these, nostalgia is also sought as a mental refugee, for those who can’t bear with the ‘pressure of the present’!

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by creofire · Published October 30, 2014
· Last modified October 29, 2014

Hiral Amodia

Beautifully written with strong connects to different kind of feeling that people have about “Nostalgia”. I liked this the most Quote == Nostalgia is the human yearning for their energetic past, their shiny days with all its glory, a natural urge to extend the gratification experienced in the past reliving the moments virtually, at least. == Un-Quote!

Jo

Perhaps this is the first, I get to read someone quoting from the piece I’ve penned here in Creofire. I feel elated. Thanks a lot pal, for taking time not just to read but to respond.

Pranju Chakrapani

It was an extreme joy reading your post and equally profound is the picture.

Jo

Yeah, the picture almost conveys everything I thought of expressing. In fact, like I’ve mentioned, I only stumbled upon this image. I use to spend a good time searching for the most relevant images. Because coupling a text with relevant images increases the impact. Nice to hear from you, about that.

Pratikshya Mishra

I loved reading this piece.. nostalgia is a solace at times.. we need it to cope up with reality…

Jo

Well, it seems I’m not the only soul crazy about nostalgia. Yes pal, nostalgia is sometimes the best shoulder to lean on.

Purba Chakraborty

Very well written. It was nice reading your thoughts on nostalgia.

Jo

Thanks for your response pal. Its always a pleasure to hear back. Its the simplest assurance that a good few are keenly reading the written piece. Nothing exhilarates than this.

Mansi Sharma Mittal

A Picture speaks a thousand word and this picture surely speaks volume. Nostalgia is that longing affection of past ,you keep going.

Jo

Yes, Indeed pal.

inducares

Nostalgia does offer escape from reality but dwelling too much on past can also be depressive.

Jo

Yes, from the psychological perspective. Over dwelling of nostalgia results only in slipping from the current reality.